Yep agree.
I have my LV # reserved with Melissa.
Now we wait.....

FYI as I mentioned earlier I tried reserving these #’s (already gone):

LV-426 is being auctioned off in US for charity
and
LV-223 is being auctioned off in UK for charity

There isn't limited stock. They don't get mor in anymor because everyone just getting them direct. It is not because they are discontinued or anything. They'll be available for a bit yet, not a very old line, fairly recent actually. Cutting edge at the time they switched to them from the underpowered system on a chip.

They already stated contrary to your theory. Hardware platform a complete rework of the same thing, just for comms and servicability.

For PC - maker & model number?

Also is the OS - Ubuntu ??

OS is linux but not Ubuntu afaik.

It's an AMD A10 Quad core "gaming computer". Industrial.

That is simply a choice by stern - not really a technical constraint.

Alien game code is designed to be abstracted from the hardware. One thing HWP did do right was develop their simulator tooling so that devs could work independently of having a physical game. Alien was developed in large part WITHOUT the actual hardware but running on a simulator. Think VirtualPinball.. where you have game code running and a separate hardware emulator below it.

In the simulator you substitute an emulator for the hardware but run the real game code. In the real game, you have a platform layer that facilitates all the code that actually drives the hardware components and provides a a service layer or set of APIs to the game code. So the game code simply say "turn solenoid A1 on" to the hardware/platform layer... and that layer says "oh that means send 0x1110 to address ABC" or whatever. The point is the hardware/platform layer is the one that bears the brunt of changes to the new game. You can change hardware with very minimal changes to the game/app code.

This is how they can rewrite the platform drivers without having to rewrite the game code. And the platform was mostly done by Brian.. who is also working with PinBros Any tweaks that are needed to the game code can also be done without really starting over.

Then it only becomes a question of if you want to support both hardware configurations going forward... The game code could simply operate with flags that steer its behavior "if rev1, do X, else do Y"... or you can compile builds to target one config or the other... or you can maintain separate branches all together and only the new one contains code for the new platform, etc. This is all choices in how they want to develop their software and you make those choices based on your requirements, constraints, and how you prefer to manage your work. This is all very basic software design constructs. Brian is a stud, I doubt any of this is worrying him at night They already demonstrated they built Alien this way originally. There shouldn't be any reason they can support both - it's simply a question of if you invest to support both targets... and force yourself to maintain at least some of the old one.. or simply focus only on your new one.

TLDR - Hardware is abstracted away from game code. They can pick if they want to maintain code for both hardware platforms or not - it's just a question of do they want to invest to do so.

With all this talk of code I am hoping they can make an effort to place in a bulb that flashes on the Alien head that activates during tongue capture sequences on the remakes. I remember people here discussing and wishing for that.

There isn't a lighting effect for that currently, right?

We kinda got it, in two unique individual Apron Mods by a few of the awesome guys in the community, they incorporated Strobes into their aprons. Also a separate Strobeoscope mod was created by another cluey community member, without the whole new apron.

Lots of Alien owners have come up with a Boatload of Great Mods!!!

Fantastic stuff!!

Thank you for that explanation!

This is where a 'closed system' is to your advantage. Unlike a desktop/laptop... the system doesn't run anything you don't put into it. The system doesn't do anything other than you ask of it. Thus, as long as the requirements don't change, the system can keep doing what it does without having to change anything.

What the vendors have to consider is
1 - availability of the parts to keep building the product as long as they want
2 - availability of the parts to provide spares/service
3 - software support for any future needs or defect fixes
4 - headroom for future needs

#3 is less of an issue the more mature something is as change is less frequent and you hope it's polished by then. You also consider if its things you can 'fix yourself' or if you rely on others. Same with #4 - if your product is mature and understood, your requirements are less likely to change

For isolated embedded systems... change is low probability. Mainly what they want to avoid is getting stuck where they can't get new parts to keep the assembly line running and the availability of replacements (so again, you avoid being forced to swap before you want to)

The motherboard alien uses is quite old by computer standards (almost 8 years?) but is still available to order from the china vendor. I wouldn't be suprised if they simply push PC updates down the road as a future refresh as long as the vendor could give them a reasonable End of Sale forecast. Since it's a closed platform, and they have all the existing binaries... they can keep using old stuff.

If they didn't get reasonable pricing or availability forecast.. they'd change and be forced to face more extensive regression testing to ensure the new hardware didn't have any unexpected differences in behavior.

It's more of question of supply chain management and then being forced to face software work just to maintain compatibility. There are a lot of reasons to 'not rock the boat' if they don't have to...

One of the reasons I'm in line for an LV, with a perfectly good original, is the question of code and support. With the support apparently improving, new I/O boards, etc., and some interchangeable parts, code is the remaining question for me. I do like the extra magnet and lock mechanism in the hypersleep chamber, but not more than the LCD in the playfield, larger screen in the backbox, and amazing cabinet(gotta see this thing in person, it's great and fits the feel of an Alien universe). But then the code as is remains fantastic, so I'm not that concerned. If David Thiel did more music and sound effects not available to original owners, that would change things. Hopefully PB will make any positive changes available to the original owners.

Based on this explanation - sounds like Highway/coders did the right thing on abstracting hardware from software. Especially for troubleshooting & writing code purposes - this is very good.

If they in fact did this - I believe the current owners of original Alien PB have nothing to worry about - because costs would be low to maintain hardware sets they already have for code testing.

I for one would like to see them upgrade the computer - 8 years is a long time.

To think China/Asus will keep making this another 8 or so is unrealistic. So an owner is forced with a decision to buy spares now. Why? Because PB may not be around in the long term and support may be very limited then. Exactly like existing owners of Alien did - buy spares to keep an expensive game going.

If they update to a new industrial type PC it provides a number of things. 1st - long term supportability probably 8 years to start. Then if you own the game down the road, you can always buy spares. If you sell no big deal. Hoping the PB statement about new electronics carried over to a new PC! Will see.

But I fear you are probably right - focus on the quick release of Alien 2.0 - which means keep as much as possible the same.

Let's hope its ALL New electronics....cant cost much for new stuff these days....8 years ago ram was 10x the price as an example....

You gonna get some modding ideas for Alien?

We need some Sigourney Weaver art & audio in this machine. I know the license is what it is, but could it be supplemented? At least allow a Pinsound/custom approach for those interested.

More broadly, Alien is of course a huge franchise. Maybe consider AvP later? I used to have an AvP pachinko machine, but sold it to a certain pinball manufacturer a few years ago (yes I mean Andrew) I'm hoping this generated some ideas in the backroom... Predator would be a natural successor machine, and I speak as someone who pre-ordered from Kevin. Go for it, PB!

Hell Yes....my shrine to both would be killer. Ordering some fun goodies already.

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Predator + JJP = instant buy for me...doubtful it ever happens though...

Have you actually shopped hardware lately? Cheap is exactly the opposite of what it is today..that is if you can even get things. While I'm sure they aren't using the newest tech, even old stuff is 2x as much as it should be.

The computer curency, power, and functionality is fine, and proven by time as well. Reliable. It being older tech also makes it semi "obsolete" (only obsolete once the demand disapears actually) even though still in full production as an Industrial part, which for us just means quite cheap for what it is (and what it includes, SSD, RAM, the lot) us$240 or so. They will be available until well after Alien is done and dusted.

I reached out to Hpraise.com in China - the manufacturer. While this product is not obsolete yet, they recommended going with a newer version. I am having them tell me what that is and will forward to PB for consideration.

One would assume they already have that sussed out and on hand by now.

I'd buy one but I would rather Stern do it. Much prefer a fast open style Predator pin. Either way I hope its happens. I really want to buy this game and its tough not to dive in but I'm gonna wait.

I'd rather Stern don't do it, as they often don't do themes justice. LZ vs GnR proves the point quite vividly.

a JJP AvP with a pyramid and lots of toys on the playfield is my ultimate dream theme.

15k -take my money....Watched the original the other night, still stands up. P2 was awful.

I really doubt AvP gets done. One reason being they have to decide between the movies or the comics, and the movies are almost universally thought of as trash and I would doubt anyone is going to do one based on the comics because MOVIES and BANDS are the only thing anyone makes these days. By the time they pay for the licenses involved, there is no way someone is going to pay to also then have an original themed pin based on this theme made. Not going to happen. So I don't see it happening, ever.

I also just realized...Disney owns Alien (and Predator too??) now...so I'm actually very surprised this pin is happening at this time.

JJP is not going to do a pin with flayed humans or severed spinal cords.

Ok maybe visually but not in terms of gameplay. I'll take the gameplay.

Really not a fan of stern gameplay much myself. I had some dread that stern (any other than Elwin anyway, who may have done it "Ok", but still with bugger all assets) would do RaM and it wouldn't really be worth having then (Yawn) .... Thank the lord for Spooky taking it!!

Sad, but could be epic....agreed

Hey, my Revenge from Mars is still running a 21 year old computer!

My Alien Star is still running just fine on a 37 year old obsolete computer...

Starting to see a bit of an alien fascination here mate ...

Well.... there is a Bally Space Invaders as well, there in the storage area waiting for me to give it a birthday!

However, I still only gather games I think are fun to play!

Surely someone in Europe will see a real game before anyone in the US. Is there any one suppose to be getting one soon?

First owners will let us know for sure im in for LV so hope end 2021 to play on it.

Standard Edition toppers already shipped.

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“Are you ready to get it on!”

“We’re in the pipe; five by five”

"They mostly come at night ... ... mostly"

“What do you mean, ‘They cut the power’?”

"Why don't you put her in charge!?"

"How'd they cut the power man??; they're Animals!!"

"We're on an express elevator to hell .... Goin' Down!!" <he says with a massive grin> lol

“You always were an asshole, Gorman.”

“Come on, Spunkmeyer, we’re rolling.”

God I love this movie - so many great lines

I use some of these lines in the manual.

The dialogue is first class, all the way through.

At the end of every work meeting where they ask 'anybody have any questions before we finish?' One day I'm going to ask 'how do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?'